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William Terriss (20 February 1847 – 16 December 1897), born as William Charles James Lewin, was an English actor, known for his swashbuckling hero roles, such as Robin Hood, as well as parts in classic dramas and comedies. He was also a notable Shakespearean performer. He was the father of the Edwardian musical comedy star Ellaline Terriss and the film director Tom Terriss. Athletic as a child, Terriss briefly joined the merchant service and tried several professions abroad and at home. Adapting the stage name William Terriss, he made his first stage appearance in 1868 and was first in the West End in Tom Robertson's ''Society'' in 1871. In the same year, he had major successes in ''Robin Hood'' and ''Rebecca'' and quickly established himself as one of Britain's most popular actors. In 1880, he joined Henry Irving's company at the Lyceum Theatre, appearing in Shakespeare plays. In 1885, he met 24-year-old Jessie Millward, with whom he starred in ''The Harbour Lights'' by G. R. Sims and Henry Pettitt. They toured Britain and America together. Terriss played the hero parts in Adelphi melodramas from the late 1880s, among other roles. In 1897, he was stabbed to death by a deranged actor, Richard Archer Prince, at the stage door of the Adelphi Theatre, where he was appearing. Terriss's ghost is supposed to haunt the Covent Garden tube station and the Adelphi Theatre. ==Life and early career== Terriss was third and youngest son of George Herbert Lewin, a barrister, and his wife Mary ''née'' Friend. His birth name was William Charles James Lewin. He was born in London and educated at Christ's Hospital〔Foulkes, Richard. (''Terriss, William'' ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' ), Oxford University Press, accessed 8 January 2012〕 and Bruce Castle School, Tottenham, where he was a friend of J. Comyns Carr and Frederick Selous.〔("Terriss, William (William Charles James Lewin)" ), ''Who Was Who'', A & C Black, 1920–2008, online edn, Oxford University Press, December 2007, accessed 8 January 2012〕 Carr later wrote of Terriss's school days that "if he gained but little learning, he at any rate acquired a perfect mastery in the art of tree-climbing".〔J. Comyns Carr, ''Some eminent Victorians: personal recollections in the world of art and letters'' (Duckworth & Co., 1908), pp. 3-4〕 Terriss then studied at Windermere College〔"The Terriss Tragedy", in ''New York Dramatic Mirror'', December 21, 1897〕 and Jesus College, Oxford, without taking a degree.〔 He loved the adventurous, outdoor life.〔Smythe, p. 29〕 He married Isabel Lewis (stage name Amy Fellowes) in 1870 and had a daughter, Ellaline, who became a well known actress in Edwardian musical comedy, often appearing with her husband, the actor-manager Seymour Hicks.〔 He also had a son, Tom, who became an actor and then a well known film director.〔 His aunt and uncle were the writer Harriet Lewin and the historian George Grote.〔 After brief stints in the merchant service, and as a tea-planter in Bengal and other unsuccessful ventures, he returned to England, working briefly in a hospital where his brother was a surgeon and then as an apprentice engineer.〔〔Smythe, pp. 19–20〕 Having enjoyed amateur theatricals,〔Smythe, pp. 27–30〕 he decided to try the stage, adopting the stage-name William Terriss. His first appearance on stage was in Birmingham in 1868.〔 His first West End theatre role was the small part of Lord Cloudrays in a revival of Tom Robertson's ''Society'', in 1870, at the old Prince of Wales's Theatre. Still restless, however, Terriss then travelled with his wife to South America and the Falkland Islands, where he tried his hand at sheep-farming and other rustic jobs. In 1871, Terriss returned to London with his wife and baby.〔 He had successes at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, in ''Robin Hood'' and in ''Rebecca'', based on ''Ivanhoe'' by Sir Walter Scott, among other plays.〔 His wanderlust again compelled him to take his young family to America, this time Kentucky, to breed horses. Again failing to find financial success, Terriss returned to London in 1873.〔Smythe, pp. 48–56〕 Over the next few years, he established his acting career. His handsome presence, fine voice, friendly demeanor and gallant bearing made him one of Britain's most popular actors.〔 Because of his swashbuckling style, he became famous in hero parts and was known as "Breezy Bill". In 1873, at the Strand Theatre, he appeared as Doricourt in the comedy ''The Belle's Stratagem'', which was a long-running success. He then returned to Drury Lane, playing in such roles as Romeo in ''Romeo and Juliet'' and was popular as Captain Molyneux in Dion Boucicault's ''The Shaughraun'', among others. He continued to play in various London theatres in the mid-1870s such roles as Julian Peveril in a successful adaptation of ''Peveril of the Peak'' and the title role in the stage adaptation of ''Nicholas Nickleby'' at the Adelphi Theatre. In 1878, he had a hit as Squire Thornhill in ''Olivia'', and adaptation by W. G. Wills of ''The Vicar of Wakefield'', alongside Ellen Terry and Hermann Vezin. Among other roles, especially in melodrama, in the late 1870s, he was Captain Absolute in ''The Rivals''.〔Smythe, pp. 56–68〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「William Terriss」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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